IFF 2011 took place at the University of Bradford campus on Friday 30th September, Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd October. At the Opening Night on Friday we have shown 'Love and Death on Long Island' by Richard Kwietniowski who came from London to answer the questions of the public and talk about his plans for the future. Then 9 more films followed over the weekend. The public has voted "Italian for Beginners" by Lone Scherfig as the Best Film of the Festival!
Programme:
- Friday 30th September (Opening night)
- 7:30pm - 'Love and Death On Long Island' by Richard Kwietniowski (UK)
- Saturday 1st October (European Films)
- 11am - 'Italian for Beginners' by Lone Scherfig (Denmark)
- 2pm - 'To Kill a Priest' by Agnieszka Holland (Poland) - changed to 'Three Colours: White' by Krzysztof Kieslowski (Poland)
- 5pm - 'Run Lola Run' by Tom Tykwer (Germany)
- 8pm - 'Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown' by Pedro Almodovar
- (Spain)
- 11pm - 'Leon' by Luc Besson (France)
- Sunday 2nd October (World Cinema)
- 11am - 'Eat Drink Man Woman' by Ang Lee (Taiwan)
- 2pm - 'Y Tu Mama Tambien' by Alfonso Cuaron (Mexico)
- 5pm - 'Hero' by Yimou Xiang (China)
- 8pm - 'Fight Club' by David Fincher (USA)
Inspiring Films 2011:
Italian for Beginners (Denmark/Sweden 2000)
Director: Lone Scherfig, cast: Anders W. Berthelsen, Peter Gantzler, Lars Kaalund
Three women and three men, all singles, with stressful or unhappy lives, register for an Italian course in a Danish village. A romantic comedy, known as Dogme XII, made by the principles of the Dogme 95 movement, started by Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg.
To Kill a Priest (France/USA 1988)
Director: Agnieszka Holland, cast: Christopher Lambert, Ed Harris, Tim Roth
The film tells a story based on the murder, under the Polish communist regime, of a Catholic priest and Solidarity supporter Jerzy Popiełuszko. A fictionalized version of Popiełuszko called father Alek meets the secret police captain set to assassinate him.
Run Lola Run (Germany 1998)
Director: Tom Tykwer, cast: Franka Potente, Moritz Bleibtreu, Herbert Knaup
Crime thriller about a woman who needs to obtain 100,000 German marks in 20 minutes to save her boyfriend's life. The film is divided in three stories with three "runs" by Lola. Each run starts from the same situation but develops differently and has a different outcome.
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Spain 1988)
Director: Pedro Almodovar, cast: Carmen Maura, Antonio Banderas, Rossy de Palma
Black comedy about a woman left by her lover. She tries to contact him to find out why he has left. Meanwhile her girlfriend talks to a female lawyer, who turns out to be the lover's new lover, and everyone's path keeps crossing in a very complicated and confusing way.
Leon (France 1994)
Director: Luc Besson, cast: Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman
Thriller about a mob hitman Leon and a young girl who he takes in after her family is murdered by a corrupt DEA agent. She wants a revenge and asks Leon to teach her how to kill. In return, she offers her services as a maid and teacher remedying Leon's illiteracy.
Eat Drink Man Woman (Taiwan/USA 1994)
Director: Ang Lee, cast: Sihung Lung, Sylvia Chang, Ah Lei Gua
The story of a semi-retired and widowed Chinese master chef at the Taipei Grand Hotel and his 3 daughters. The intricate preparation of banquet quality dishes for their Sunday dinners serves as a surrogate for the spoken expression of their familial feelings.
Y Tu Mama Tambien (Mexico 2001)
Director: Alfonso Cuaron, cast: Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna, Ana Lopez Mercado
In Mexico, two teenage boys and an attractive woman in her late twenties embark on a road trip and learn a thing or two about life, friendship, sex, and each other. The film talks about Love and Death and is known for its controversial, unabashed depiction of sexuality.
Hero (Hong Kong/China 2002)
Director: Yimou Xiang, cast: JJet Li, Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung
In ancient China during the Warring States Period, a nameless prefect of a small jurisdiction arrives at the Qin State's capital to meet the king who has just survived an attempt on his life by three feared assassins and has taken precautions to protect himself.
Fight Club (USA/Germany 1999)
Director: David Fincher, cast: Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham-Carter
The unnamed protagonist, an 'Everyman' who is discontented with his white-collar job in American society, forms a "fight club" with soap maker Tyler Durden and becomes embroiled in a relationship with him and a dissolute woman called Marla Singer.